Size: 80ft length, 17ft beam, 7ft draft.
Propulsion: 455 square yards of sail, hydroplanes.
Speed: 12 knots, 138 miles per 10h day, 331 miles round-the-clock sailing.
Hydroplane Speed: up to 40 knots.
Crew: 6 for round-the-clock sailing.
Cargo: 15 tons or 10 people.
Hull: 6 inches of oak.
Deck: 4 inches of oak.
Mast: 95 feet from the water line.
Weapons: Two light ballistae.
Ship Qualities: Oceanic, Runner, Stealthy, Smuggler, Special
Flag: Rakore
Cost and Construction Time: 19,623gp; 7.5 months.

The original Black Holly was a first-of-a-kind hydroplane prototype, built out of the Thayer's Rock shipyards near Teras, Rakore. The Black Holly was considered a special asset to its manufacturer, Gideon Enterprises, and was used to ferry special cargos, critical information, and special agents in the seas near Rakore during the War of the Undead. When, how, or even if the Black Holly was lost is unknown.

The Black Holly II was commissioned in 1330 by Gideon Enterprises for the crown of Rakore. The crown has since used the ship for a variety of purposes, from mage smuggling to espionage.

The captain of the ship is a grizzled man by the name of Amherst Lee. Captain Lee served Gideon Enterprises for close to a decade as a smuggler and privateer, before taking over the Black Holly II. Like many of his passengers, Captain Lee is relatively non-descript, able to blend in with any sailing community anywhere in the world, features that could be Amaran, Destanae, Slate, or something in between.

Captain Lee's crew are, like him, professionals. They know that every mission bears the official seal of the Crown of the King of Rakore, and may very well have the safety of the kingdom at stake. They also understand that too many questions or inattention to detail can mean the death of important people, or worse. To outsiders, the crew seems uncommunicative, and they are a part of an insulated, elite community that rarely speaks with anyone else beyond their chain-of-command.

Some have speculated that the crew are enchanted, or under a geas from the gods. In reality, they are just professionals who take great pride in what they do without succumbing to hubris.

The ship features a specially designed hull with a mechanical, extendable set of hydroplanes beneath it. The ingenious construction is considered a state secret, and little is known about it. The ship has been rumored to run over 40 knots under ideal conditions.